With Pedophile Joe banning the import of surplus ammo in the states, we have seen a significant drop on the cost of 7.62x39mm ammo. What was averaging $450 a few weeks ago has dropped to $400 per crate. Basically prices have been rolled back to 2019 levels.
There are a lot of rifles in this caliber but I am going to focus on the ones that are Canadian legal (at the time of this article), not collector items or rare (eg VZ52/57, Hakim, SKS-D etc), semi-automatic and are readily available. Except for the SKS, my test samples are all the latest generation so past issues are not going to be a factor (bent barrels, weak carrier groups, poor heat treating etc).
That narrows the playing field down to 5 contenders.
The Type 81-S
The M10X
The SKS (early production)
The SKS (late production)
The WS-MCR
M10X notes: The M10X has no iron sights. I added a x1 scope called the Specter Arms Ascension. I did this because it is unusable without some type of sighting system and that weight is included. I also picked the Ascension because it has a low centerline height and requires no batteries making it ideal for this rifle and SHTF. I would of preferred iron sights to keep everything fair but they sit too high on the M10X.
Type 81-S notes: I have a fixed stock version. There is no provision for an optic.
SKS(early production) notes: I have a Russian 1952 SKS. It is unmodified.
SKS(late production) notes: I don’t have a late production SKS anymore for a side by side comparison. This will be done from memory.
The MCR has no iron sights. They work well with back up irons. To try to keep things fair, mine is sporting polymer back up sights.
Weight:
The WS-MCR is the lightest by only a few grams.
The Type 81-S is the second lightest at 3.4kg.
The M10X is slightly heavier than the Type 81-S. If you go online you will see the M10X weighs 50g less than the Type 81-S but you need to add an optic so this is deceptive. The M10X is more accurately placed as #3
The SKS is the heaviest. It is based on 1940s technology before aluminum and plastic replaced a lot of wood and steel.
Balance:
The Type 81-S has its balance point slightly behind its center point making it the fastest to swing around obstacles and bring to bear on target.
The M10X has its balance point at roughly center.
The WS-MCR is front heavy with the balance point front of center. It comes with an unnecessarily long handguard which I think contributes to its balance problem. Its light weight helps to hide this problem.
Both SKS are front heavy with balance point front of center. They have the longest barrels. Some companies have taken to cutting the barrels down to 18.5” to improve balance but that is outside the scope of my evaluation.
Sighting:
The WS-MCR rifles require an optic. This makes its sighting system superior. Its comb and its sight plane are on the same level making use of 1.5” centerline optics ideal. There is a wealth of optical options limited only by imagination. The included handguard can have MLock rails added to it for lights and lasers.
The M10X requires an optic. This makes its sighting system superior. A x1 Prism scope does the job of the red dot without using batteries but unlike all the options below, you can add a scope (+ weight) or MLock rails for lasers. The mounting plane is higher than the comb making 1.5” centerline optics (the sporting optic standard) too high. It limits a lot of options but at least it has options.
The SKS (both versions) have uncluttered iron sights. The SKS uses an adjustable leaf sight with a longer sight radius than the Type 81-S. The iron sights are easier for casual shooters to use,
The Type 81-S have short sight radius which lends itself to close quarter snap shooting but hurts its ability to shoot farther. When you consider that the average WW2 battle was fought at 73 meters, this is not a big deal. For professionally trained people who lean into the gun, the sights come up easily and naturally. It should be noted, that casual shooters find the sights to be too low to be usable. The sights are also cluttered. Instead of looking at an open notch the user looks through a T shape cut out.
Cost:
It is better to have and not need then need and not have. You can’t always afford the latest and greatest but it is better to buy once and cry once. A lot of people will buy a SKS and spend a thousand dollars to make it a poor imitation of an AK, I suggest that if an AK-like rifle is your goal, spend the money and get a Type 81-S.
That being said, the SKS is the least expensive. The most common manufactures are Russia and China. There are some Yugoslav SKS rifles in Canada as well but they are entry level collector items. What separates the SKS into early and late production is the change in how the barrel is mated to the receiver. At some point during the 70s, Chinese factories started to pin barrels instead of threading them in. Chinese SKS rifles do not share the same reputation as the Russians for this reason, but a 1950s or 1960s Chinese SKS will work just as good as a Russian one.
Because most people can’t determine late and early SKS rifles, they tend to be priced the same.
The WS-MCR rifle is available and affordable. On the used market they cost less than the Type 81-S, new, they cost the same.
The Type 81 was un-affordable for a long time, as price speculators would buy them up and re-sell them at double the price. With the newest batch being imported (and more on the way), the Type 81 is seeing a price correction with units selling around $1400.
The M10X is the most expensive. American built. Basically the M10X is a modernized AK with a Sig gas system. In addition to the $2000 price tag, you MUST buy an optic for it. Cheap back up iron sights are not going to work very well because the top rail is already above the comb. You need to fork out at least $150 more to get this gun to a usable point. It is the most expensive option.
Feeding:
With magazines pinned, the legal 10 round LAR magazines make the WS-MCR the winner. Faster to change mags and double the capacity.
But… If we are in a situation where mag capacity is not an issue, the winner is the M10X with Magpul Pmags. The Pmags are lighter and feed well. The Type 81-S is nearly a dead match to the M10X with Pmags. I gave it to the M10X over the Type 81-S only because of weight, availability and cost of magazines
The Type 81-S is second only because the mags are heavier and not common. But because all the magazines are purpose built for this firearm alone, they always work. There are no variations like AR or AK mags.
Next, the SKS. Unmodified, 10 round stripper clips can not keep up with 30 round magazines. But, feeding is dead reliable and it always cycles.
Near the bottom is the WS-MCR rifle. Most people run 10 round LAR magazines. Those are reliable. But all the 30 round AR magazines in 7.62x39 just don’t seem to work well.
And strangely enough, the M10X is also at the bottom of this list (as well as the top). With magazines other than Pmags, the M10X works… but not as reliably. A reliable feeding gun is critical.
Maintenance
The SKS wins easily. There are no magazines to lose. The cleaning kit is built into the gun. It can be taken apart easily into large, hard to lose components that are unbreakable.
The Type 81-S strips easily like the SKS. It also takes apart into large hard to lose components and my fixed stock version has a cleaning kit built in. But the dust cover is thin gauge stamped steel. Separate from the gun, it is fragile component that is easily bent.
The MCR is easy to take apart but it does have a lot of small parts. Cam pin, cocking handle. Having a carbine length gas port puts the mechanism under unnecessary stress leading to premature parts wear and breakage.
The M10X is not intuitive to strip. A secret button opens the top from the bottom and the design makes it so the charging handle (a small component) needs to be removed to strip it. A cleaning kit needs to be purchased and carried separately.
Accuracy:
This is why I split the SKS into early and late production. Late production SKS rifles have pinned barrels as opposed to the more expensive to produce threaded barrels. I have found that pinned barrels, when done right, are ok. These are not done ok. I have had samples that were 12MOA guns. That means that where the bullet lands can be 12” away from what you are aiming at 100 meters.
I can find no difference in accuracy with the final 4. This could be because the 7.62x39mm round burns up almost all of its powder by 16” and they all have barrels 18.5-20”. I was also shooting at a distance of 50meters. I suspect the M10X or the MCR with its lighter trigger may translate into better results at longer distance. With crappy ammo expect 6MOA. With good ammo expect 3MOA. Both are acceptable for a battle rifle. I only tested with Czech, Russian and Chinese surplus.
Customization/Mission Optimization:
The MCR is the clear winner. It has provision to add MLock rails to mount any light, laser, forgrip or flare launcher you could want. Most people change the unnecessarily long handguard to a stupidly long handguard giving another level of customization. (If I keep this gun, I will be going in the opposite direction to take some weight off). AR buttstocks offer another level of change and non-beavertail grips work great. The trigger can be replaced with some light clean breaking triggers
The M10X comes in second. It has provision to add MLock rails to mount any light, laser, forgrip or flare launcher you could want. The muzzle is threaded and the muzzle device can be changed with moderate effort.
The SKS (early production) is the next most customizable. It has been on the market a long time and there are a lot of good (and bad) accessories for it. The only change I like to make to the SKS is a railed gas tube to add a light. But there are detachable magazine kits, top rails for scopes (only use Magwedge, the other methods suck) and stock kits.
The SKS (late production) is a close third. As the SKS started being made in more and more factories, deviance in tolerances started to pop up. The guns were usable but these tolerance changes sometimes render after market accessories as a tight or impossible fit.
The Type 81-S has no easy customization except for a AK style optic side mount. Changing the stock is not a task for the average person and heavy fitting is required to change out handguards as they are retrofits for other models of gun. This is not a tinkerers gun.
Trigger:
The M10X and the MCR triggers are not amazing but it is the best of the rifles sampled. Those who are used to standard AR-15 triggers will find it familiar.
The SKS and the Type 81-S have heavy gritty triggers.
Safety:
The M10X safety is useable and in a position that allows it to be manipulated by the thumb. It is ambidextrous. The safety is stiffer than the others. I like the reduced 45 degree throw angle.
The WS-MCR uses a standard safety. It is in a position that allows it to be manipulated by the thumb. . It is ambidextrous. The throw angle is a normal 90 degrees.
The SKS trigger is in an awkward position but it is easy to activate and de-activate. The lever is not lefty friendly and requires the user to take his hand off the gun to manipulate it.
The Type 81-S safety is in a position that can be reached by the thumb but can’t really be de-activated by it. The safety needs an agonizingly long 180 degree rotation. It is not ambidextrous.
Portability:
The SKS comes with a sling and sling mounting points. It can be carried on the back and because of its slim design with no long protruding magazine, it can be carried unobtrusively in a scabbard loaded and ready for use. The short stock makes it usable with heavy winter coats, assault vests and body armor.
The M10X has a folding stock that makes it ideal for vehicle carry. It does not come with sling mounts or a sling and is yet another item you need to buy if you want to use a sling. The stock telescopes but you can’t get it as short as the SKS wood stock. Still, its length makes it ok (for 6” tall me) using body armor.
The Type 81-S has a sling mounting point on the base of the buttstock and the forend. It does not come with a sling. The stock is a fixed length limiting body type and equipment. Some versions fold; my sample does not.
The WS-MCR does not come with full sling mounts. There are quick detach (QD) mounting points at the rear of its buttstock but no swivel is included. The stock telescopes to fit different body types. QD sling loops are available from Specter Arms.
Field Use:
The SKS wins. It is indestructible. It is a closed system meaning that dirt and junk can’t fall into the mechanism when not in use. It is overgassed meaning it works, muddy or frozen. But the gas tube is prone to rapid corrosion if not cleaned regularly. All SKS failures, I have diagnosed, gave been seized gas tubes/pistons.
Next up is the Type 81-S. It is a sturdy rifle. It is a closed system meaning that dirt and junk can’t fall into the mechanism when not in use. If it starts to get dirty, the gas port size can be increased by adjusting the gas block to ensure it continues to run, even when fouled.
The WS-MCR is third. Its open side where the charging handle reciprocates makes it an open system. Dust, sand, dirt… they can all get into the mechanism. The MCR uses an AR trigger mechanism which is very sensitive to dirt and debris. Its carbine length gas system unlocks at too high of pressure putting unnecessary wear on parts.
The M10X is fourth. Its open sides where the charging handle reciprocates makes it an open system. Dust, sand, dirt… they can all get into the mechanism. The M10X uses an AK trigger which is more robust than an AR one but it is still vulnerable to debris.
Conclusions:
SKS (late production):
Role: I can not think of any role where a late production SKS would be a good fit. It is only accurate enough for CQB but its design, balance and length make it a terrible choice for CQB.
Best Improvement: Cut the barrel down. At least improve its use for CQB.
SKS (early production)
Role: For the average survivialist, the SKS (early) really is the winner. The gun is usable for all people: novices, cash poor short and tall. Requires no extra magazines or equipment to use. For a general survivalist rifle, it is ideal. It can hunt, it can fight and it is not aggressive in appearance allowing easier interpersonal interactions with strangers.
Best Improvement: Add a red light or laser. The sights are unusable at night and red lights and lasers are less disruptive to your natural night vision.
M10X
Role: The M10X is great in a lot of ways. But it is not well suited as a survivalist rifle. It is best suited for someone who is expecting a fight and plans to decisively crush those who oppose him.
Best Improvement: Get a cleaning kit and cotton swabs to keep the internal mechanisms clean. Use right hand charging and seal the left side.
Type 81-S
Role: This is a fighting rifle designed for dirty environments. It is aggressive looking and is often mistaken for a AK-47. It is suited equally well as a survival or a fighting rifle striking a balance between the two.
Best Improvement: Get professional firearm training. This is not a novice friendly gun.
WS-MCR
Role: This is not suitable as a survival rifle. Unlike the M10X, it is not even a suitable fighting/hard use rifle. The gas system is flawed and prone to breakage. It can be fixed but at a cost.
Best Improvement: Buy a mid-length AR-15 barrel and a mid-length gas piston from Third Echelon Design. The lower unlock pressure will let your rifle fire softer with less force and not wear your parts as quickly. In SHTF you are not going to be able to source replacement parts.
